Most Canadians think trans people should use whichever washroom they want: survey

As the transgender washroom debate rages on in the United States, Canadians appear to be fairly accepting of the idea that trans people should use whichever washroom they’re most comfortable in.

In a comprehensive new poll from the Angus Reid Institute that surveyed Canadians on an array of trans-related issues, 58% of respondents felt it was up to the individual to decide which bathroom they wanted to use.

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The remaining 42% think there should be pre-set rules and regulations that transgender people must adhere to when it comes to washroom use.

The Angus Reid Institute’s poll touched on a total of six different trans-related topics: Media attention towards transgender issues, societal attitudes towards trans people, nature versus nurture, anti-discrimination laws, trans people in the workplace, and the ever-present washroom debate.

Many Canadians feel as though there’s too much media attention focusing on trans topics, with 44% agreeing with this sentiment.

Image: Angus Reid Institute

There’s a recognition that society’s views towards gender as a concept are changing as well. More than two in three Canadians say gender is shifting towards something more fluid, and that it’s a good thing.

The new poll sorts respondents by gender and age, although the institute notes that the number of self-identified transgender people surveyed were too little to create a category just for them; with that said, the most supportive groups appear to be women and people in younger age categories.

A further analysis of the data sorts people into three categories based on their responses: Trans allies, trans opponents, and “sympathetic but uncertain.”

Under each cluster, opinions varied greatly on a variety of trans-related topics, as shown by this infographic: